Human Origins in Africa Through the Neolithic Age
7.6 Identify the characteristics of civilizations. (History, Geography, Economics) a. a system of record keeping b. the presence of geographic boundaries and political institutions c. an economy that produces food surpluses d. a concentration of population in distinct areas or cities e. the existence of social classes f. developed systems of religion, learning, art and architecture Lesson Objectives:
Content Objectives: After analyzing artifacts from ancient Sumer, students will be able to determine whether ancient Sumer was a civilization.
Literacy Objectives: Increased use of specific academic vocabulary with direct connections to Social Studies content and real world use.
Technology Objectives: Students will be able to use the HistoryMalden wikispace, Wordle.net, Vocabulary.com, Glogster.com
Social Objectives: Students will be able to cooperate, collaborate and function effectively with a partner.
Activities/Strategies
DO NOW: In their notebooks, students will have 5 minutes to identify what makes a culture or group of people a civilization. After a whole class discussion about what characteristics are present in a civilization, students will watch a brief video on Mesopotamia and Sumer in particular.
Vocabulary: Students will scan Chapter 5 of their textbook noting all pictures, reading all captions and identifying all vocabulary words in blue and red bold print. After identifying all vocabulary words, students will create a Wordle use the internet site Wordle.net.Wordle. Using their Wordle to familiarize themselves with the vocabulary of the chapter, students will gather more information about two choosen words from their Wordle. I will advise students to perhaps use the words that are largest on their Wordle. Students will then log onto Vocabulary.com Vocabulary infoand gather more specific info about their chosen words (synonyms, parts of speech, other uses of the same word, and use of word in a sentence). After printing the screen and saving it in their notebooks, they will identify an antonym and add an additional sentence of their own to show understanding.
Students will then pair up with partner and share the vocabulary information they've gathered. Partners will add in information gathered from their partner in red ink and add to their notebooks.
Determining Whether Sumer is a Civilization by Analyzing Artifacts
Before beginning the activity from the Interactive Notebook, we will read and note important facts together for Sections 5.1 & 5.2. Students will receive Post It notes for sections 5.1 and 5.2. As we read, they will put main ideas, questions and points of interest on the Post Its. I will read aloud the first few paragraphs and model what important information should be written down. We will continue to read as a class, and students will note important information. I will give a minute or two for students to share their ideas with a partner and then with the entire class.
I will refer to the Interactive Notebook as a workbook from this point forward. The workbook activity uses the textbook beginning at Section 5.3 in the textbook (p. 43). Students working in pairs, will use their notebooks to document their conclusions from analyzing artifacts on placards placed around the room. After reviewing the directions for the activity, we will practice the steps using one artifact to model where and how in their workbooks to write the information requested. Students will have to identify an artifact that represents a particular characteristic of a civilization. Most of the artifacts represent more than one characteristic. Students are instructed to find as many artifacts as they can to represent a particular characteristic. Once they have linked an artifact to a particular characteristic, students must then complete a sentence starter "Name of artifact relates to this characteristic of civilization because...". The workbook directions instructs students to sketch a simple drawing of the artifact, but the workbook doesn't provide enough room to draw all artifacts. I will limit students to one or two drawings.
Ticket to Leave: On a Post It Note write one example of the modern version of the ancient Sumerian artifact. For example, "Stable Food Supply"...in Malden we have several supermarkets and grocery stores that provide us with ample food supplies.
Assessments
Students will be able to choose one of the following projects:
A. Choose one of the characteristics of a civilization and develop a question about it. Write a two paragraph essay that attempts to answer their question. Include a picture that describes your chosen characteristic. Document all sources.
B. Choose one or two characteristics you feel are significant and create an online poster using Glogster.comOnline Poster-Glogster. The poster must include multiple examples of your chose characteristic, 2-3 sentences written by you about your characteristic (can't be copied from the textbook) and if possible, embed a short video clip about the importance of your chosen characteristic.
Was Sumer a Civilization?
Essential Questions:
State frameworks: Content, Literacy, & Technology
Human Origins in Africa Through the Neolithic Age
7.6 Identify the characteristics of civilizations. (History, Geography, Economics)
a. a system of record keeping
b. the presence of geographic boundaries and political institutions
c. an economy that produces food surpluses
d. a concentration of population in distinct areas or cities
e. the existence of social classes
f. developed systems of religion, learning, art and architecture
Lesson Objectives:
Content Objectives: After analyzing artifacts from ancient Sumer, students will be able to determine whether ancient Sumer was a civilization.
Literacy Objectives: Increased use of specific academic vocabulary with direct connections to Social Studies content and real world use.
Technology Objectives: Students will be able to use the HistoryMalden wikispace, Wordle.net, Vocabulary.com, Glogster.com
Social Objectives: Students will be able to cooperate, collaborate and function effectively with a partner.
Activities/Strategies
DO NOW: In their notebooks, students will have 5 minutes to identify what makes a culture or group of people a civilization. After a whole class discussion about what characteristics are present in a civilization, students will watch a brief video on Mesopotamia and Sumer in particular.Vocabulary: Students will scan Chapter 5 of their textbook noting all pictures, reading all captions and identifying all vocabulary words in blue and red bold print. After identifying all vocabulary words, students will create a Wordle use the internet site Wordle.net.Wordle. Using their Wordle to familiarize themselves with the vocabulary of the chapter, students will gather more information about two choosen words from their Wordle. I will advise students to perhaps use the words that are largest on their Wordle. Students will then log onto Vocabulary.com Vocabulary infoand gather more specific info about their chosen words (synonyms, parts of speech, other uses of the same word, and use of word in a sentence). After printing the screen and saving it in their notebooks, they will identify an antonym and add an additional sentence of their own to show understanding.
Students will then pair up with partner and share the vocabulary information they've gathered. Partners will add in information gathered from their partner in red ink and add to their notebooks.
Determining Whether Sumer is a Civilization by Analyzing Artifacts
Before beginning the activity from the Interactive Notebook, we will read and note important facts together for Sections 5.1 & 5.2. Students will receive Post It notes for sections 5.1 and 5.2. As we read, they will put main ideas, questions and points of interest on the Post Its. I will read aloud the first few paragraphs and model what important information should be written down. We will continue to read as a class, and students will note important information. I will give a minute or two for students to share their ideas with a partner and then with the entire class.I will refer to the Interactive Notebook as a workbook from this point forward. The workbook activity uses the textbook beginning at Section 5.3 in the textbook (p. 43). Students working in pairs, will use their notebooks to document their conclusions from analyzing artifacts on placards placed around the room. After reviewing the directions for the activity, we will practice the steps using one artifact to model where and how in their workbooks to write the information requested. Students will have to identify an artifact that represents a particular characteristic of a civilization. Most of the artifacts represent more than one characteristic. Students are instructed to find as many artifacts as they can to represent a particular characteristic. Once they have linked an artifact to a particular characteristic, students must then complete a sentence starter "Name of artifact relates to this characteristic of civilization because...". The workbook directions instructs students to sketch a simple drawing of the artifact, but the workbook doesn't provide enough room to draw all artifacts. I will limit students to one or two drawings.
Ticket to Leave: On a Post It Note write one example of the modern version of the ancient Sumerian artifact. For example, "Stable Food Supply"...in Malden we have several supermarkets and grocery stores that provide us with ample food supplies.
Assessments
Students will be able to choose one of the following projects:
A. Choose one of the characteristics of a civilization and develop a question about it. Write a two paragraph essay that attempts to answer their question. Include a picture that describes your chosen characteristic. Document all sources.
B. Choose one or two characteristics you feel are significant and create an online poster using Glogster.comOnline Poster-Glogster. The poster must include multiple examples of your chose characteristic, 2-3 sentences written by you about your characteristic (can't be copied from the textbook) and if possible, embed a short video clip about the importance of your chosen characteristic.